


The Perfect Christmas Gift

by WalkingDredd



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmas present, F/M, One Shot, Present searching, Ron wants to buy a great gift for Hermione, Rose is a baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-09-05 16:01:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16813870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WalkingDredd/pseuds/WalkingDredd
Summary: Ron hated Christmas shopping, but Hermione needed the perfect gift.





	The Perfect Christmas Gift

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This is my first one shot in .... I don't even know how long now. Years? I apologise for the mistakes in this, I read over it once, but I need to get ready for work and wanted to get this up. I hope that you enjoy it!

Ron hated Christmas shopping more than anything else in this world. He especially hated Christmas shopping in the last few days before Christmas.

Sure, he knew it was his own fault for leaving things so late in the year to get anything for Christmas, but people didn’t need to all be out at the same time as him and getting their own Christmas shipping. It was just plain rude in his honest opinion.

The shops were busy and cramped, people were elbowing their way past him, and Ron was getting angrier and angrier at every passing moment he put himself through this horror. But, he had yet to lose his temper, no matter how close he was to losing it., and that was all down to the one-year-old little girl in his arms, staring in wonderment around them both at all the twinkling Christmas lights, and all the shining decorations. He tried hard to keep a check on his temper when he was around his daughter because he didn't want her to react without thinking as he had always been prone to do. It was bad enough he had developed her red hair, and freckles—although on her they were plain adorable! Unlike on him where he looked like he had a bad, pale, blotchy tan.

He shouldn’t have brought his daughter Rose out with him today, Ron was thinking as he sidestepped a woman who was trying to tug a jumper out of another older woman’s’ hands. Declaring that it was hers first, and she didn’t give a rat's arse if she had taken it out of the other woman’s trolley; she was having it damn it! He couldn’t help it, Hermione was still battling her flu, and was working from home–and getting herself too stressed before Christmas, that Ron thought she would never get over this flu because she wasn’t resting as he had tried to get her to do.

He hoped that by bringing Rose out with him; it was one less thing for Hermione to worry and fret over, and might be enough for her to sit down on the sofa, wrapped in the blankets she had been in when Ron had left, and Hermione had given him a worrying look when he declared that he was taking their one-year-old daughter out into the Christmas chaos that was the day before Christmas Eve, but she didn’t really fight him on it, so Ron took that as a sign it was a good idea.

“Do you have any ideas for what we should get mummy for Christmas?” Ron asked his daughter, moving him onto his other hip and holding her securely as she tried to grab at something on the shelf behind him. Rose repeated the word ‘Mummy’ but gave no other ideas to him about what he should get. Ron sighed, before looking around him at the various shelves of what he could only consider absolute garbage.

He didn’t want to give Hermione a bunch of shit she wouldn’t use but would be too grateful to tell him. Sure, she would keep what he had given her, and keep it on display, or use it, but he knew it didn’t make her as happy as he got when he was opening all the wonderful and thoughtful gifts she had given to him. She deserved the entire world, and Ron hated that he couldn’t give it to her.

He was terrible at buying presents, always had been, which was why Hermione took over buying them on their behalf to other people when they had moved in together. He was so thankful, but that still meant that he had to get Hermione presents, and he was ashamed to say they never matched up to her amazing ones.

“Do you think mummy would like a mug that says I love her Jingle Be- “ Ron stopped quickly, realising what he was just about to read out loud in the presence of his daughter, and quickly put the item back down on to the shelf and walking away from it.

He could get her perfumes, or a new back, or those new socks she had said she wanted the other day. He could buy her new pyjamas, new slippers, or a hot water bottle so she could use it on her hands, and not press them against his skin at night. However, that would mean that at nighttime she wouldn’t be pressing her fingers against his skin, and as much as he hated it, he loved it at the same time. Love was strange in his eyes.

Besides, he had already gotten all of these things for her, not to mention some of her favourite chocolates, some bath things that made him sneeze for most of the time he was in the god-awful smelling shop, and an enchanted rose that never died, with a quotation he would love her until the last petal fell – which, it never would because of the enchantment to make it live forever. However, none of that just seemed enough in his eyes; he needed to give her more. He needed to show her how much she meant to him, and he was afraid that none of those gifts came even close to that message at all. He needed something that had that ‘ah ha’ moment when he saw it, and none of those things he had brought for her had made him have that moment, not the chocolates, and not the enchanted Rose that would never die, not the bath things that would have everlasting bubbles that would massage her, not even the perfume he loved to smell on her skin when she wore it. Even the jewellery seemed dull.

“I don’t think we will have any luck in this shop, Rose,” Ron stated, kissing his daughter on the top of her head as she pushed her face towards him, almost head-butting him. Ron sidestepped the crazy crowd, the two ladies were still arguing over the sweater, and Ron wanted to get as far away from that shit as was physically possible, if Rose ended up getting hurt in their pathetic brawl, he would use all the products they sold at his brothers joke shop Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes and use them all against the women. Harry would get him off any charges that might come his way, he had been an Auror himself, and his best friend was making his way towards becoming high in the Auror department in the ministry of magic, to become the head Auror and in charge of the whole department.

Ron made sure that Rose’s hat was still on firmly to protect her from the chilly air outside, and that her gloves were still on her tiny hands. He did not want his precious daughter to fall ill just before Christmas like her mummy. Rose giggled as Ron pressed another kiss to the top of his daughters head and walked out of the store into the bitter cold, and the crowds of late shoppers. There was not long until Christmas, and Ron knew he was running out of time to get the last few presents.

He navigated through the crowds of London, holding a hand against Rose’s back as he walked to make her feel more secure in her baby carrier attached to him. He was glad he had not brought her out in her pram. He would have definitely ended up ramming someone with it, probably taken out some old women.

He stopped off somewhere and get food, knowing it was probably why he was not getting very far, with his present searching. He should have never thought to do it on a near empty stomach. He always had his best ideas with a full belly.

Ron’s glanced into the window of the old bookstore he passed, Rose asleep in his arms, and with her head on his shoulders, and came to a stop because of a book that caught his eye. He wasn’t sure what kind of book it was, but he knew it screamed Hermione. It was definitely something she had mentioned before, and it was definitely something he knew she would love and enjoy. He didn’t care how much it would cost him; he needed it for her, and he needed it now. He pushed into the shop as gently as he could without waking Rose up and winced at the sound of the tinkling bell.

A grinning shopkeeper was awaiting him behind the desk as he entered the crowded bookshop, and he made his way carefully through some floating books, cradling the back of Rose’s head as he did so. She didn’t even seem to notice anything going on around her, still stuck in her dream world.

“Hello, sir, how may I help you on this fine day?” The shopkeeper was friendly, and Ron grinned back at him.

“Hello, I was wondering if I could buy the book in the window display at the front of the store.”

The shopkeeper's smile fell slightly, which caused Ron’s slipping from his face as dread filled through him.

“I’m sorry, sir, but someone has reserved that book.”

“Reserved?” Ron exclaimed before he could stop himself and speak rashly and calmly, trying to keep his voice low so as not to wake his daughter up. “Reserved by whom?”

“By– “ the man looked behind Ron at the sound of the tinkling bell, “by... by this gentleman here.” The man pointed behind Ron, and he turned around to see just what imbecile had reserved a book he so desperately needed for his wife to make her happy. It surprised him to see that it was Harry of all people.

“Oh, Hello, Ron, I wasn’t expecting to see you here of all places,” Harry stated, walking over to Ron, and standing next to him as he smiled at the shopkeeper in greeting. Ron couldn’t hold in his anger any longer but made sure he kept his voice to a bare minimum so as not to wake his daughter.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing reserving the book I want to buy for Hermione?” He hissed as quietly as he could without waking Rose, who didn’t move from her position on his shoulder.

Harry looked a little taken aback by his anger and glanced at the shopkeeper before answering his friend. “Well, I err, Well, Ron, I saw the book earlier and thought it would be a good present for Hermione. It looked old, and I know that Hermione likes old books, but I was in a rush to get to a meeting at work, so I asked this nice man to reserve it for me so I could think about whether I wanted to get it for Hermione for Christmas. I didn’t know you had seen it and wanted to get it for her.”

“I swear to god, Harry,” Ron said, trying not to pinch the bridge of his nose, but he was getting frustrated, with the present buying, and it was so close to Christmas and he hadn’t gotten Hermione something amazing and worthy, and that his daughter had a complete meltdown at lunch because she was tired, and didn’t want her chips, she wanted Ron’s chips instead. Now someone had reserved the book he wanted to get Hermione for Christmas who he thought was his best friend.

“I will cut you if you do not let me have that book. I will cut you, and I will happily go to Azkaban, because I have been looking all day for the perfect gift for her, and now it’s within my grasp, I am not letting it get away from me. She buys me the perfect present every year, and this year I will buy her something more amazing than what she gets me, and if you get in my way, I will hunt you down, and murder you until you are dead.”

Harry stared at Ron, and Ron well knew that the shopkeeper probably thought Ron was mental and that he should probably call an Auror. Harry was still staring at him, and Ron wondered if maybe this time he had gone too far, and Harry would leave and never come back because Ron was too much of a toxic friend who threatened his life for stupid reasons.

Harry gave a shrug unbothered by Ron’s threats towards him. “Sure, you can have it, I was thinking of something else, anyway.”

Ron sagged after hearing Harry’s words and felt relief flood through him as he turned back to the shopkeeper.

“May I please now buy the book, please?” he asked.

The shopkeeper glanced at Harry, who shrugged again and raised a hand to pat Ron on the shoulder as he spoke to the shopkeeper.

“Don’t worry, we’re best friends, have been since our first day of school.”

The shopkeeper nodded, and Ron wondered if he did that just so he could get the two crazy men out of his store before Ron made good on his promise to cut Harry up, and he’d have to be a witness.

“You know how crazy some people can get in the run-up to Christmas?” he winked at the shopkeeper who still just nodded and handed the book over to Ron, before taking the money for it. “What’s up, Ron? You normally reserve your murder threats for the second helping at dinner, not over presents.”

“I’m sorry, Harry,” Ron stated, running a hand over his face in tiredness. “I’m just getting so frustrated. I want to find the perfect gift for Hermione. She deserves the world, and I couldn’t find anything good enough to give to her.”

“What are you talking about, Hermione loves every gift you give to her,” Harry said, trying to make his friend see sense.

“I want to make her happy, she’s been so down with this flu, and her parents going back to Australia for Christmas, I want to make this Christmas special, and spoil her. She does so much for me and Rose, and I want the perfect way to say thank you.”

“And she will love this gift, Ron. It’s got to be a sign it’s the perfect gift for Hermione if both of us saw it and thought it would make the best gift for her at Christmas.”

Ron nodded knowing Harry was right and so glad he did not have to resort to hurting his best friend. He did not have time to find a new one before the New Year.

“Although now I’ve given you this gift, buy me a pint.”

“I can agree to that,” Ron said as the man came back over with the book and rang up the price into the till and grabbing for a bag so he could pack it away safely. Ron would treat this book as if it was royalty and the most precious cargo he was carrying with him. Well, the second most precious cargo, behind the sleeping princess in the baby carrier, and sleeping with her head against his chest right now.

The guy in the shop looked glad to see the back of them.

\--

Ron laid out the presents neatly under the tree, knowing he had done well this year. This would be his year at giving the best and most thoughtful presents, this year he finally felt he had given Hermione the best gifts she deserved. He wanted her to open her presents as soon as she came downstairs, but he knew she wanted Rose to open all of her gifts first, and so did he, it was the first Christmas that Rose would open–or attempt to open with her tiny hands–her own Christmas presents. Last Christmas she was only a little baby and spent most of the day asleep in Ron’s dad’s arms. Ron had a sudden thought made him sad to think, his little girl was growing up so fast, and she wasn’t a tiny newborn any more. He missed when she was tiny, so small that when she was born she barely fit along with his arm, she was so small, and Ron had been so terrified of breaking her, treating her as if she was a china doll. Now, she was a lot bigger, although still small for her age and a lot louder and boisterous. She was Ron’s universe, and he couldn’t wait to see the little lady she would become, as long as she took her time doing so and took her time growing up. He didn’t want her to get older; he wanted her to stay his little girl forever.

Ron could hear Hermione walking along the landing and knew she would get Rose out of bed and bring her down. Ron rushed over to the coffee table and grabbed for the camera that Hermione had placed there the night before, stating that she wanted to get lots of pictures of Rose’s first real Christmas, and headed over to the stairs with it waiting in his hands. It wasn’t long before Hermione was coming down the stairs, with Rose resting on her hip, and beaming widely as Rose looked down at Ron and squealed in delight. Ron could feel his heart swelling with happiness at hearing her reaction to seeing him, happy that she was always so happy to see him. It brought such a joy to him.

“Look, Rose, its daddy, are you going to give daddy a smile?” Hermione asked, stopping in the middle of the stairs and tickling Rose with her free hand in the side, and causing her to let out an infectious giggle. Ron pressed the button a few times on top of the camera, taking as many pictures as he could of the moment. They both looked so happy, and Hermione looked so beautiful, in her baggy pyjamas, and dressing gown, her hair its usual wild mess that Ron absolutely adored.

Hermione came down the rest of the stairs, and walked over to Ron, giving him a kiss, Rose let out a squeal and held her arms up for Ron to hold her instead, before letting him take Rose from her as she took the camera from him. Hermione took pictures of the two of them herself before holding the camera in front of her and taking a picture of all three.

Ron was so glad they had spent Christmas morning just them three. Their first proper Christmas morning as their little perfect family. Last Christmas they had stayed at The Burrow overnight on Christmas eve with pretty much all of his brothers and sisters and their other halves and children. However, this time, they had wanted to celebrate the morning on their own. They would head to The Burrow around midday to join the others and have a wonderful dinner cooked by his mother.

Ron pulled Hermione in for another kiss and took her free hand as they walked into the front room. Rose let out a noise at seeing all the presents underneath the tree, and Ron knew it was probably because it was something new that she had not seen before, not because she knew what presents were. Ron put her down onto the floor and let her crawl over to them as he took a seat on the sofa, and Hermione walked over to him to place the camera down, before sitting down on the floor beside Rose as she grabbed for one present.

“Oh, Rose, what has Santa brought you?” Hermione exclaimed happily as Rose copied her mother’s open-mouthed expression. Ron was quick to snap a few pictures with his camera before remembering he had magic and could just get the camera to take the pictures of him so he would not miss a moment of this. He didn’t want to miss a moment of his daughters Christmas or her opening presents. He was quick to pull out his wand from his own dressing gowns pocket, and waved it at the camera so it hovered around them in the air and took pictures of them all, before putting his wand away carefully out of Rose’s reach, and moving over to sit next to Hermione as she helped Rose pull off the paper from the present.

Rose opened a few more presents before she got distracted by the box of one of her toys and played with that instead. Hermione smiled and stood up, to which Ron followed. 

“I will get breakfast for us all, but first -” she stopped to bend down and grab a small package from the back of the pile of presents, hidden just enough that Ron didn‘t see it when he was putting his own presents down.

Hermione smiled at Ron before handing him the small box. “I know that we would open our presents at your parent’s house, but I felt like this one couldn‘t wait. I wanted you to open it right here because I feel like this is the perfect moment too.”

Ron was sceptical over what his lovely wife had gotten for him, and took the small box with a smile on his face, and excitement in his heart. He wondered if it was jewellery or a new wand. 

He pulled apart the ribbon tied in a bow, and ripped open the paper, before glancing at Hermione, who looked eager, and a little fearful, probably that he wouldn't like his present from her, He opened the lid of the box and looked inside.

What he saw took his breath away, and he couldn't find the words as he looked up at Hermione who had tears in her eyes.

“Are you... are you sure?” Ron asked in disbelief and staring at her in wonder. Hermione gave a small laugh, tears falling down her cheeks as she nodded eagerly. Ron looked down at the box again, a smile crossing his face as he saw the pregnancy test inside with the words ‘Pregnant’ written in the small box screen.

“We’re having another baby?” Ron asked, still in shock even though the proof was right in front of him. He still could not believe it. They would have another baby.

Ron pulled Hermione to him, hugging her tightly, and kissing the top of her head as they held each other tightly.

“I thought maybe it wasn‘t the flu that was making me feel so terrible and sick, and something just made me take a test a few days ago. We’re having another baby, Ron.”

“It’s the best Christmas present I could ever get,” Ron exclaimed, moving away from her slightly so he could press a kiss to her lips in happiness. She kissed him back.

He didn‘t even care she had once again beaten him on the present front, he couldn‘t even be angry at the fact he had tried so hard. She won hands down, and she would always win. He was the happiest man in the world, he had a beautiful wife, and beautiful daughter, and now he had a wonderful baby on the way.

It was the most magical Christmas he had ever had.


End file.
